CONTINUOUS-DELIVERY RIGHT VENTRICULAR ASSIST SYSTEM

THE LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE OF THE RESEARCH IS TO CREATE AN IMPLANTABLE TEMPORARY RIGHT VENTRICULAR ASSIST SYSTEM (RVAS)THAT IS SUPERIOR TO EXISTING DEVICES WITH RESPECT TO SIZE, SURGICAL COMPLEXITY, EASE OF USE, AND COST. APPROXIMATELY 30 PERCENT OF VENTRICULAR ASSIST APPLICATIONS INVOLVE A RVAS. CURRENT DEVICES ARE NOT ANATOMICALLY COMPATIBLE WITH IMPLANTABILITY, YET IMPLANTABLE DEVICES ARE FREQUENTLY DESIRABLE FOR LONGER TERM TEMPORARY PROCEDURES DUE TO THEIR LOWER POTENTIAL FOR INFECTION. ANOTHER STUDY IS DIRECTED AT PROVIDING A LEFT VENTRICULAR ASSIST SYSTEM WITH THE ABOVE FEATURES. BECAUSE IT REQUIRES MUCH LOWER PRESSURE RISE, THE RVAS REQUIRES NEW BLADE GEOMETRY. THIS PHASE I EFFORT WILL FOCUS ON BLADE GEOMETRY DEVELOPMENT AND DEMONSTRATION THROUGH IN VITRO HYDRAULIC ANDHEMOLYSIS TESTING AND ACUTE IN VIVO TESTING. EXISTING HARDWARE WILL BE UTILIZED. THE TECHNICAL INNOVATION OF THE RVAS CONCEPT IS THAT IT OFFERS A METHOD OF PROVIDING EFFECTIVE RIGHT HEART ASSISTANCE WITH A MINIATURE IMPLANTED PUMP THAT CAN BE PLACED WITHOUT THE TRAUMA OF MAJOR SURGERY.